11/01/2026
I’ve been with this band for six seasons now, through two of my daughter’s high school careers. Last night was unbelievable. I could not be more proud!! 💙🏴☠️🎶🥹
*post updated*
I am not sure we will ever find all the right words to describe what last night meant to the Swansboro High School Marching Pirates.
**YOUR SWANSBORO MARCHING PIRATES ARE THE GRAND CHAMPIONS OF THE CRYSTAL COAST BAND CLASSIC AT HAVELOCK HIGH SCHOOL!**
GRAND CHAMPIONS!
According to the records from Havelock High, this is the FIRST TIME EVER that Swansboro High School has won Grand Champion at CCBC since moving to a grand championship format in 2011.
This is also the first time an Onslow County School has won CCBC EVER!!!
**THEY MADE HISTORY.**
And I don't think I can adequately explain how special that is.
We went into last night knowing we were up against some incredibly talented programs and some very large bands, including programs we have never beaten before. There may have been some who were skeptical about what we could accomplish, but these kids have heart and work extremely hard. We have always had the mindset of as long as this performance is better than the last don’t worry about who standing next to you or what the points come out to be. We know if it was a good run for us, and we always talk about competing against ourselves. Last night, they showed everyone else what this staff have been lucky enough to see all season.
They walked onto that field, played their hearts out, sounded like a true marching wind ensemble, and executed their show beautifully. They didn't back down. They didn't worry about who was standing next to them in the competition. They simply went out and did what they have worked so hard to do.
And perhaps what makes this moment even more meaningful is everything it took to get here.
This season has tested us in just about every way imaginable. The weather has forced us to adjust, adapt, and find ways to keep moving forward. We have worked through challenges that most people never see behind the scenes. And because apparently we hadn't had enough excitement, our amps decided to blow up last weekend, leaving us scrambling to replace and repair our sound system! A HUGE thank-you to Fuller's Music for coming to our rescue and getting us back up and running. 😂
Last night was also our FIRST competition opportunity to perform our complete show outside. After everything this season has thrown at us, to finally get that opportunity and walk away as Grand Champions is incredibly rewarding.
But I also want to take a moment to recognize something that I think is incredibly important.
**This moment belongs to so much more than the students standing on the field last night.**
It belongs to every Swansboro band student who came before them. To the alumni who spent countless hours rehearsing, performing, competing, building traditions, and laying the foundation for this program. To the directors, staff, and supporters who invested their time, energy, and hearts into making Swansboro Band what it is today.
Those students may not have been on the field with us last night, but they were absolutely a part of that moment. We are standing on the shoulders of everyone who came before us, and I hope our alumni know that their contributions mattered. The history we made last night would not have been possible without the history that was made long before these students ever put on a uniform.
To our current students: I hope you take a moment to really appreciate what you accomplished. You persevered through a challenging season, believed in one another, and continued to show up even when things weren't easy. You have made your school, your community, your alumni, and your director incredibly proud. I hope you remember last night for a very long time. You earned this.
To our parents and families: THANK YOU. Thank you for the countless hours, the early mornings, the late nights, the rides, the meals, the encouragement, the financial support, and all of the behind-the-scenes work that makes a season like this possible. To our volunteers who give their time and energy so freely, we truly could not do this without you. A marching band program is so much more than what people see on Friday nights and competition Saturdays. It takes an entire community, and we are so fortunate to have one that shows up for these kids.
And to everyone who has supported, encouraged, and believed in this program: last night was a pretty special reminder of what can happen when people come together behind something bigger than themselves.
I am so proud. Not just because we won, but because of how we got here, who these students have become along the way, and what they have accomplished together.
**BUT… WE ARE NOT DONE YET!**
The Pirates are headed to ALABAMA next weekend to put one final stamp on this season. One more opportunity to take the field, represent Swansboro, and show everyone what Pirate pride is all about.
Last night, we made history in Havelock. Now let's take that momentum to Alabama and finish this season strong!
To my students: Thank you for giving me a moment I will never forget. It is an honor to stand on the field with you, and I cannot wait to see what you do next.
**GRAND CHAMPIONS. HISTORY MAKERS. BUILT ON TRADITION. UNITED BY PIRATE PRIDE.**
🏴☠️ **SWANSBORO, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD!**
